Orbert Davis’ CJP Chamber Ensemble celebrates the centennial birthdays of two of the jazz genre’s most influential artists: Thelonious Monk and Ella Fitzgerald. While Ella’s music has been a staple of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic performances, new arrangements of Thelonious Monk works will premiere under Orbert Davis’ baton.
Paradise Blue
Music composed by Orbert Davis for TimeLine Theatre Company, Chicago IL (PJ Powers, Artistic Director; Elizabeth K. Auman, Managing Director) and its 2017 production of Paradise Blue written by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Ron OJ Parson, and supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust. Music performed by Orbert Davis and members of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, featuring Rajiv Halim Orozco.
Orbert Davis takes on a story of black Chicago
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Tribute to De’Kayla Dansberry becomes song and video
“While listening to Orbert Davis’ trumpet wail on his stirring rendition of Bill Wither’s ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ I was inspired to write my own words surrounding the original refrain. Three simple words — Ain’t No Sunshine — they spoke to me deeply about the murders of ‘our daughters’ in Chicago.
“I played the song again and again, letting it marinate over my soul while sitting at my computer keyboard. Words seemed to leap from the haunting melancholy rhythm of Orbert’s horn. What I wrote, I presented as a recent column, calling it ‘An Ode to De’Kayla.’” —John Fountain
About Orbert
Emmy Award-winning trumpeter, composer, and educator, Orbert Davis is co-founder, conductor and Artistic Director of CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC, a 55+ piece jazz-symphonic orchestra dedicated to multi-genre projects. Full bio »